Tyne and Wear Metro cleaners in festive strike

Cleaners working on the Tyne and Wear Metro struck for 72 hours over Christmas over pay.

The cleaners, members of the RMT union, work for contractor Churchill’s. They began their strikes on Sunday 23 December.

The workers delivered “Christmas hampers” to local councillors, which contained nothing except a letter telling them to end poverty?pay.

Churchill’s have refused to offer any pay rise, even though the company has doubled its profits over the last five years.

London Underground

Cleaners on London Underground began a 48-hour strike on New Year’s Eve in their battle over pay.

The RMT members working for contractors Initial and ISS are demanding a living wage and improved working conditions. They previously walked out during the Olympics last year.

Boxing Day strike

Workers in train drivers’ union Aslef on London Underground struck on Boxing Day in a dispute over bank holiday pay.

For three years in a row, the union’s members have voted by over 90 percent to take action on Boxing Day.

The union wants no driver to be forced to work on Boxing Day, and those who do to be paid more than the normal rate. The bosses have refused to offer any talks.

Stirling signal workers

Signal workers in Stirling who struck on Christmas Eve struck again on New Year’s Eve and were set to strike on 5 January.

Their RMT union has been calling for 12 hour shifts, but Network Rail is refusing talks. Workers backed strikes by 100 percent.

Northern Isles ferry strike called off

The RMT union called off strikes against job cuts on Northern Isles ferries after progress in talks. The workers had planned to walk out for three days in December.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said, “We have asked the company for a number of assurances which have been met. “If we can’t make sufficient progress in those talks we will have no hesitation in issuing notice of our intent to take action again immediately.”